most influential women of medieval times was Eleanor of Aquitane. She greatly contributed to the growth of Chivalry and Courtly Love. She was married several times, first to King Louis VII of France and then to King Henry II of England. Her travels allowed her to be influential to both countries. Even before her marriages she owned great amounts of land, making her very powerful. This was a rarity for a woman in her time and she was not afraid to use her power to gain advantage. She at one time accompanied her first husband, Louis VII, on his second Crusade contrary to what the church (ruling government at the time) said. Poets received encouragement from Eleanor to write poems and sonnets from a womans point of view, this was also unheard of before the late Middle Ages. During her marriages, there were rumors of affairs had by the Great Queen. Along with her plans to lead her sons in a rebellion against their father, these rumors were enough to cause Henry II to lock Eleanor away as a punishment until the time of his death. During the reign of her son King Richard, Eleanor started the Courts of Love which contributed to giving women a higher standing in society. The Courts of Love were a gathering of enthusiastic young women who debated and ridiculed the ideals of love presented to them by poets and knights of the court. Throughout her life Eleanor was committed to furthering the ideals and standards of Chivalry and Courtly love. She died at the age of eighty after spending a few years at Fontevrault, an abbey where she chose to rest several times during the course of her life. The origins of the code of chivalry came from the laws of feudalism. The knights were expected to fight bravely and be loyal to their lords. Bravery and loyalty became the vanguard of the code of chivalry. The strong influence of Christianity and courtly love expanded this code to include religious devotion and refined social graces. Chivalry began...
